Deadline is reporting that fresh-faced Welsh actor Matt Ryan has been cast to play John Constantine in NBC's
Constantine television series. The series will based on the
Hellblazer comic book series that's published by DC Comics. The character was created by legendary and perpetually-grumpy comic book writer, Alan Moore. Constantine first appeared in Moore's
Swamp Thing (vol. 2) #37 (June 1985). Several years later the character would receive his own comic book series, "Hellblazer," written by Jamie Delano. It is the longest running title under DC Comics' edgier venue, Vertigo. The character was the basis for the 2005
Constantine live-action film that was directed by Francis Lawrence ("The Hunger Games") and starred Keanu Reeves ("The Matrix").
His appearance is based on singer-songwriter, Sting, as the artists Stephen R. Bissette and John Totleben made that request based on their love of the rock band,
The Police. Constantine has blonde hair, a British accent and is usually wearing a trenchcoat. He's a powerful sorcerer, but prefers to outsmart his opponents instead of relying on his magical gifts. He's a chain smoking, self-destructive, cynical man with a surly exterior. Probably caused from that dark cloud that hangs over him. He's a magnet for the weird and his friends have a habit of getting hurt or worse, dead.
As for the new television show, its described as:
Based on the characters in DC Comics’ John Constantine stories, the project centers on John Constantine (Ryan), an enigmatic and irreverent con man-turned-reluctant supernatural detective who is thrust into the role of CONSTANTINE defending us against dark forces from beyond. John Constantine is described as a working-lass Londoner with rakish good looks, scruffy blond hair, deadpan humor, and signature trench coat, who has been studying the dark arts since he was a teenager. When the daughter of a late friend is targeted by demons, Constantine steps in to save her.
David S. Goyer and
The Mentalist executive producer Daniel Cerone wrote the pilot. Neil Marshall ("The Decent") will direct the first episode. A series that will see Mike Ryan as the lead. The Welsh actor has lived in London and America, and his perhaps best known for playing Edward Kenway in
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. Besides providing the voice for Edward he also gave a full motion-capture performance. You might also recognize him as Mick Rawson from the "Criminal Minds" spinoff series,
Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior.